The chemistry, isolation process and compounds of this invention are all useful in preparing certain end products which are useful pharmaceutical agents. More specifically this invention relates to intermediates and means for preparing and isolating intermediates which can be used to prepare certain known compounds having the following general structure ##STR1## where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are exemplified by ether or thio-ether functionalities and R.sub.3 is any one of a number of radicals of which a carboxylate is but one example. Compounds of these types can be found in the literature, more particularly in published patent applications such as, for example, PCT/US93/01990 published as WO93/19748, PCT/US93/02325 published as WO93/19750, PCT/US93/02516 published as WO93/19751, PCT/US93/01988 published as WO93/19747, PCT/US93/01991 published as WO93/19749 and PCT/US93/02230 published as WO93/19720. Of greatest interest are the acetonitriles disclosed in PCT/US93/01991. These compounds are all useful in treating a variety of disease states. In particular they are useful for treating allergic and inflammatory diseases and for inhibiting the production of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF).
The compounds and processes of this invention are useful in making the afore mentioned pharmaceutical entities in so far as they have a --CN group on the cycloalkyl ring at the carbon forming a bond with the benzene ring carbon.